Paint Brush Protection Device

ABSTRACT

A protective cap for holding a paint brush includes a housing defining an open top and an open bottom, the housing having a top lid and a bottom lid positioned to selectively cover each of the open top and open bottom, respectively. The housing includes side walls defining a plurality of openings configured to allow airflow into an open space within the housing. A paint brush may be inserted into the housing open bottom and through an aperture in the top lid such that the top lid holds the paint brush from falling back through the housing. The bristles of the brush may be held in a perfect vertical configuration while the brush handle is held by the top lid aperture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to paint brush holding devices and, more particularly, to a protection device configured to hold and store a paint brush such that its bristles are protected from damage and kept in proper alignment and orientation while allowing them to dry after being cleaned.

A paint brush constructed of high quality materials can be a substantial investment and one that motivates professional painters, handymen, and do-it-yourselfers to protect the paint brush from damage. A user of a paint brush may also become particularly fond of a brush that provides good results and that is comfortable and efficient to use. Unfortunately, if the brush is not protected well or its bristles become bent or tangled while drying after use may become degraded, substantially unworkable, or otherwise undesirable.

Various devices have been proposed in the art for holding or protecting a paint brush, such as those presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,453 to Landmeier; U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,090 to Keith; U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,959 to Crosby; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,399 to Crouch. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing proposals are not useful for use with brushes of different sizes or do not maintain the brush bristles in their proper shaped and orientation while permitting its bristles to dry.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a paint brush protection device that holds a paint brush of any size such that its bristles are protected from damage and are maintained in a proper shape and orientation while drying after being cleaned. Further, it would be desirable to have a brush cap device that holds and protects a paint brush between uses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, a protective cap for holding a paint brush according to the present agreement includes a housing defining an open top and an open bottom, the housing having a top lid and a bottom lid positioned to selectively cover each of the open top and open bottom, respectively. The housing includes side walls defining a plurality of openings configured to allow airflow into an open space within the housing. A paint brush may be inserted into the housing open bottom and through an aperture in the top lid such that the top lid holds the paint brush from falling back through the housing. The bristles of the brush may be held in a perfect vertical configuration while the brush handle is held by the top lid aperture.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a paint brush protection device that holds a paint brush after it has been cleaned and protects its bristles from damage as the bristles dry after being cleaned.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint brush protection device, as aforesaid, that is easy, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a paint brush protection device, as aforesaid, that is durable and reliable.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paint brush protection device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paint brush protection device as in FIG. 1 showing a paint brush being inserted into the housing;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the paint brush protection device as in FIG. 1 showing a paint brush secured in the housing;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the paint brush protection device as in FIG. 1 showing a paint brush being removed from the housing; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the housing as in FIG. 1 taken from another angle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A paint brush protection device according to a preferred embodiment of the present device will be described according to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, a paint brush protection device 10 includes a housing 12 having opposed front 14 and back walls with opposed side walls 18 extending therebetween. The respective walls of the housing 12 define an open interior space, an open top 20 and an open bottom 22. A top lid 24 is pivotally mounted to a terminal end of the back wall 16 adjacent the open top 20 and is moveable between open (FIG. 4) and closed (FIG. 2) configurations. Similarly, a bottom lid 28 is pivotally mounted to a terminal end of the back wall 16 adjacent the open bottom 22 and is moveable between open (FIG. 2) and closed (FIG. 4) configurations. At respective closed configurations, the top and bottom lids cover the open top and open bottom of the housing 12, respectively. Each lid may be biased toward its closed position by spring-loaded hinges 32 (FIG. 5). The top lid 24 further defines an aperture 26 through which a paint brush handle 6 may be extended and held, as will be described in further detail below. The aperture 26 is positioned adjacent a free edge of the top lid 24 such that the aperture 26 is unbounded when positioned at its open configuration (FIG. 4). The aperture 26 presents a configuration that is substantially similar to that of a paint brush handle 6 such that the handle 6 is held in a friction fit relationship thereby when inserted through the aperture 26 of the top lid 24 (FIG. 3).

Each of the walls of the housing 12 defines a plurality of vent holes 30 through which air may flow without significant barrier or obstruction. The plurality of vent holes 30 may be molded into the wall or may be formed by a mesh material, such as wire mesh, attached to an opening defined by each respective wall. It is understood that the bottom lid 28 may also include vent holes such that water that may drip from the paint brush bristles 4 may drain from the housing 12. Preferably, the housing 12 is constructed of a durable material that is also semi-flexible. The housing 12 may have a unitary construction such as would be possible when constructed of a plastic material. Preferably, the front 14 and back 16 walls of the housing 12 include a width that is greater than a width of the opposed side walls 18 such that said housing 12 includes a configuration suitable for holding the bristles 4 of a paint brush 2 within its interior space.

In use, a paint brush 2 may be inserted handle-end-first through the open bottom 22 of the housing 12 when the bottom lid 28 is at the open configuration (FIG. 2). It is understood that the brush 2 is inserted handle-end-first so that the bristles 4 are not damaged or moved from their proper downward orientation. The handle 6 may be inserted through the aperture 26 in the top lid 24 when the top lid 24 is in its closed configuration for holding the brush 2 with its bristles in the interior space of the housing 12 (FIG. 3). Air circulating in and out of the vent holes 30 enables wet bristles 4 to dry and the bristles 4 to be maintained in proper downward orientation. Finally, the paint brush 2 may be upwardly removed from the housing 12 by moving the top lid 24 to its open configuration and pulling the paint brush 2 through the open top 20 (FIG. 4). Again, it is understood that the paint brush 2 is removed upwardly through the open top 20 so as to protect the bristles 4 from damage and maintain them in a proper orientation.

It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof. 

1-6. (canceled)
 7. A paint brush protection device for use with a paint brush having a handle and a plurality of bristles, said paint brush protection device, comprising: a housing having an opposed front and back walls with opposed side walls extending therebetween, said front, back, and side walls defining an interior space having a configuration to receive the paint brush bristles therein and defining an open top and an open bottom; a top lid mounted to said back wall adjacent said open top and moveable between an open configuration completely exposing said open top and a closed configuration covering said open top, said top lid being biased toward said closed configuration with spring hinges: wherein said top lid defines a aperture adjacent to and in communication with a free edge of said top lid such that said aperture is unbounded by said free edge when said top lid is in said open configuration; wherein said paint brush handle is upwardly removable from said housing when said top lid is at said open configuration without said brush bristles touching said top lid; a bottom lid mounted to said back wall adjacent said open bottom and moveable between an open configuration exposing said open bottom and a closed configuration covering said open bottom, said bottom lid being biased toward said closed configuration with spring hinges; and wherein said front, back, and side walls define a plurality of holes that enable air to flow in and out of said interior space; wherein said bottom lid defines a plurality of holes such that water is drainable from said housing when said bottom lid is in said closed configuration: wherein said aperture includes a configuration that is complementary to a configuration of the paint brush handle.
 8. (canceled)
 9. (canceled)
 10. The paint brush protection device as in claim 9, wherein said front, back, and side walls, said top lid, and said bottom lid include a unitary construction.
 11. (canceled) 